JAPAN · EVENT — Chosen by our editors
Festivals, nightlife, tech meetups and international parties — hand-picked across Japan, each linking straight to where you book.
Hand-picked, don’t-miss shows — book ahead.
Upcoming© Qiuqizhenghong · CC BY-SA 3.0Ryukyu Kaiensai Fireworks Festival 2027One of Japan's earliest big fireworks of the year — around 10,000 shells choreographed to live music over the East China Sea off Ginowan.Sat, Apr 10, 2027 18:30 JSTTicketed reserved seating in tiers; a free viewing area is also available. Exact 2027 date confirmed in winter.View details →OfficialUpcoming© Qiuqizhenghong · CC BY-SA 3.0The Yaeyama Islands' biggest festival fills central Ishigaki with a citizens' parade, island music and a closing fireworks display over the harbour town.
Sat, Nov 7, 2026 OkinawaFree
OfficialUpcoming© そらみみ · CC BY-SA 4.0Hakata Okunchi 2026 (Oct 23–24) is Kushida Shrine's free autumn festival in Fukuoka — a 1,200-year harvest rite, famous for the Oct 24 ox-cart procession. Dates, schedule, access.
Fri, Oct 23, 2026 10:00 JST FukuokaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Osaka Marathon 2027 runs on Sunday 28 February 2027. General entry closes at 17:00 on 28 August 2026 and lottery results are emailed on 28 September. The ¥16,000 fee is not the final bill — an admin charge and a compulsory charity donation take it to about ¥18,000. Caps, eligibility and race-number collection, straight from the race guidelines.
Sun, Feb 28, 2027 09:00 JST OsakaAn individual general entry costs ¥16,000 in Japan / US$145 from overseas. On top of the entry fee you must also pay an administration charge (6.0% of the settled amount for domestic entries) and a compulsory charity donation of at least two units (¥500 each in Japan), so a domestic individual entry actually comes to roughly ¥18,000. Watching from the roadside is free. (Race guidelines, as of 16 August 2026.)
OfficialUpcoming© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027 runs 17 April to 16 May 2027, its 15th edition. The dates are confirmed on the official site; the theme, artist line-up, venue list and 2027 ticket prices are not yet announced. For reference, the 2026 all-venue Passport was ¥5,500 in advance (¥3,000 for students) and single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500, with under-15s free.
Sat, Apr 17, 2027 10:00 JST Kyoto2027 prices are not yet announced (as of September 2026). For reference, the 2026 edition priced the all-venue Passport at ¥5,500 in advance and ¥5,800 online / ¥6,000 paper during the festival, with a ¥3,000 student Passport; single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500 (student ¥400–¥800), an Express Passport was ¥15,000, and children under 15 entered free. Some programmes are free.
OfficialUpcoming© そらみみ · CC BY-SA 4.0Around 100 fishing boats escort three deities' mikoshi across the sea at this World Heritage shrine's grand autumn festival.
Thu, Oct 1, 2026 09:00 JST FukuokaFree
Spring, summer, autumn, winter — a year in Japan, told through its events.
Featured Festivals
A 1,300-year-old torchlit tradition: Gifu's Imperial cormorant masters work leashed birds on the Nagara River nightly, May 11-October 15, 2026.
The next dates worth planning around.
FireworksFIREWORKS — 5 eventsThe sky, on fire.
Cherry blossomsCHERRY BLOSSOM — 6 eventsCatch the pink wave.Autumn leavesAUTUMN LEAVES — 14 eventsRed, gold, gone too soon.
Winter illuminationsILLUMINATIONS — 9 eventsLight up the cold.
Snow & winterWINTER SNOW — 16 eventsInto the white.Grand SumoSUMO — 11 eventsWatch the giants clash.
OfficialUpcoming© Ben P L from Provo, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0The Ueno Park edition of the free Caribbean-Latin street fair — Latin food, mojitos, salsa and reggae beside the fountain plaza in one of Tokyo's most famous parks.
Sat, Oct 3, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Nihonmatsuri · CC BY 4.0Seven towering floats, each carrying 300+ glowing red lanterns, parade through Fukushima nights to the beat of taiko in one of Japan's three great lantern festivals.
Sat, Oct 3, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree
OfficialUpcoming© Marine-Blue · CC BY-SA 3.0A 380-year-old shrine festival blending Japanese, Chinese and Dutch flair — spinning dragon dances, whirling umbrella floats and roaring 'Motte-koi' chants.
Wed, Oct 7, 2026 07:00 JST FukuokaFree
OfficialUpcoming© 663highland · CC BY-SA 3.0Marimo Festival 2026 runs 8–10 October at Lake Akan, Hokkaido. Every ceremony is free to watch: Ainu elders open with kamuinomi prayers, a torchlit parade winds along the lake on the second night, and on the final morning the marimo are carried by dugout canoe back into the water — a rite held every year since 1950 to protect a Special Natural Monument.
Thu, Oct 8, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree
OfficialUpcoming© Henxter · CC BY-SA 4.0UNESCO-listed Belgian beer culture lands in front of Kyoto's Higashi-Honganji temple — dozens of imported brews, frites, waffles and live music in an open-air city festival.
Thu, Oct 8, 2026 12:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialUpcoming© z tanuki · CC BY 3.0Eleven gilded Edo-era floats parade through old Takayama by day, then glow with 100+ lanterns at dusk in one of Japan's three most beautiful festivals.
Fri, Oct 9, 2026 09:00 JST NagoyaFree
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